Two Saskatchewan restaurant owners convicted of trafficking Bangladeshi worker
A Saskatoon judge found Mohammed Masum and Sohel Haider guilty of human trafficking and sexual assault for exploiting a Bangladeshi woman employed in their restaurants.
Judge Miguel Martinez concluded that Mohammed Masum, 44, and Sohel Haider, 55, exploited a Bangladeshi woman's vulnerability for personal gain, using threats about her work permit and confiscating her passport to compel sexual intercourse. The woman arrived in Canada in August 2022, was placed in a Gull Lake restaurant and later moved to a Tisdale eatery, both operated by the defendants, under false promises of accommodation and a $1,000 monthly wage that never materialized.
She endured 12-hour shifts six days a week and was forced to accompany Masum on supply trips. Concerned MLAs Doug Steele and Hugh Nerlien, along with a social worker, intervened and helped extract her from the situation in March 2023. The court found the defendants' testimonies unconvincing and ordered them held pending a future sentencing hearing.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious abuses in temporary foreign worker programs and underscores the need for stronger protections against labor trafficking.
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